The front surface of the eye – the clear and transparent cornea – is supposed to be perfectly round, like a ping pong ball. Sometimes it is bent, like an egg or football shape. This results in an image which is blurred or distorted, and is called astigmatism. Astigmatism causes blurriness at all times and at all distances. If there is a lot of astigmatism, and if it is present from an early age, the visual system cannot develop in a normal way and AMBLYOPIA (lazy eye) results. Therefore, it is important to have your child’s eyes examined for the first time before the age of 3 years. This is one of the few times that glasses must be worn by a young child in order for his or her eyes to develop normally.

When the shape of the eye is very much distorted resulting in high astigmatism the use of CONTACT LENSES becomes somewhat more complicated. Rigid lenses (Rigid Gas Permeable) can cover the “bent” surface with a spherical one, essentially eliminating the astigmatism. Hybrid lenses like the “SYNERGEYES” lens or the “DUETTE” lens can accomplish the same thing with better comfort: this is because a hybrid lens has a rigid central area and a soft skirt. A third option for correcting high astigmatism is custom designed soft contact lenses.

Many people with high astigmatism are told that they can’t wear contact lenses. In our experience, this is almost never the case. We succeed in fitting even the most difficult cases. SO EVEN IF YOU HAVE HIGH ASTIGMATISM AND WERE TOLD YOU CAN’T WEAR CONTACTS, GIVE US A CALL – WE CAN ALMOST CERTAINLY HELP.

When amblyopia is diagnosed early enough, treatment is often successful in restoring normal or nearly normal vision in the amblyopic eye. After the age of six years, results are not as good but there is still hope for significant improvement. Treatment involves first clearing the images in both eyes with glasses or contact lenses. Then some combination of eye exercises ( VISION TRAINING), patching, and/or the use of Atropine can force the use of the lazy eye resulting in gradual reduction or elimination of the amblyopia.

Eye doctors have been trying for many years to control the progression of myopia, often with little success. Such control is desirable not only to avoid the need for thick eyeglasses, and reduce dependence on eyeglasses, but when myopia becomes relatively high there are increased risks of certain sight threatening eye diseases, like retinal detachment or macular degeneration, for example.

New research has clarified techniques that don’t work, as well as, those that do work to control myopic progression. For years eye doctors have prescribed eyeglasses that are not quite the full strength needed to see clearest. Studies have shown that this doesn’t work to control myopia. Eye exercises have also been somewhat disappointing. However, use of certain types of bifocal contact lenses does slow down progression. Orthokeratology (the use of rigid contacts for overnight wear to reshape the eye so that glasses and contacts won’t be needed during the day) has been shown to slow the growth of the eye. Myopia results from elongation of the eye, so if you slow elongation you slow progression. The use of a daily drop of very dilute Atropine instilled into the eyes has also been shown to slow progression with minimal side effects.

IF YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT PROGESSION OF MYOPIA IN YOURSELF OR YOUR CHILD, PLEASE SCHEDULE A VISIT WITH US SO WE CAN DISCUSS OPTIONS FOR MYOPIA CONTROL.